Shear resistant buckle assembly



P. D. BECKER SHEAR RESISTANT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY Feb. 12, 1952 Filed Oct. 1, 1949 FIG 2.

FIG-.3. J

INV-ENTOR: PHmP'D. BECKER, B 8.. [PM

ATTOR NEY.

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 v 2,585,894 v 'SHEARRESISTANT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY 1 Philip D. Becker, Hingham, Massgassig nor to' United-Carr Fastener Corporation,Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application Octoberl, 1949, Serial No. 119,063 Claims. (01. 24 -77) This invention relates generally to buckles, and has particular reference to a buckle assembly comprising superimposed buckle plates which is capable of withstanding high shear stresses and is able to be quickly and easily released while under such stresses. s

The object of the invention is to provide a high strength quick-release buckle assembly in which a pair of buckle plates which are adapted to be fastened together in superimposed relation are provided with means other than the fastening means for resisting shear stresses applied to the assembly. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a buckle assembly in which a pair of buckle plates which are provided with hook means at one end and snap fastener means at the other end to permit the buckles to be engaged in superimposed relation are provided with means intermediate the hook means and the snap fastener means to resist shear stresses applied to the assembly.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a buckle assembly comprising a pair of buckle plates having hook means at one end and snap fastener means at the other end to enable the hook means to be quickly released, in-which one of the plates is provided with an embossed shear resisting member adapted to enter an aperture in the other plate when the plates are'a'ssembled.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will in part appear hereinafter. For a fuller understanding of the nature and objectsof the invention, reference should be had tothe following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partl cut away, of a buckle assembly embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken on line 22- 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the upper buckle plate of Fig. 1; s

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the lower buckle plate of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the component parts of the buckle illustrating the method of assembly and disassembly; E

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation illustrating another method of using the buckle assembly.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a buckle assembly 10, which comprises a pair of buckle plates l2 and I4 which are adapted to be fastened together in superimposed relation to resist tensile forces imparted thereto bystraps l6 and l8. The buckle plate [2 comprises a tongue memberzll disposed near one end thereof, snap fastener halves 22 mounted near the other end, and an opening 24 having a'peripheral raisedli'p 26 formed in the plate intermediate the tongue and the snap fastener halves. To receive the strap I6, a pair of slots 28 and 30 are provided in the ends of the plate, through which the strap may be threaded across the backof the plate and then folded back and attached to itself by rivets 32. Although the strap may also be conveniently.

attached to the plate by threading only through,

the slot 30 and folding back on itself, when. the buckle assembly is to be used to support heavy loads it has been found desirable to pass the strap through both slots as described, in which case the;

strap may also be attached to the plate I2 by rivets 34 to provide additional strength. The tongue member 20 is inclined downwardly toward the adjacent end of the plate, and in the preferred embodiment extends under the .slotv 28 and is integral with the'metal of the base at the edge thereof.

The buckle l4 comprises a tongue receiving slot 38 near one end thereof, snap fastener halves 38 assembled thereon near the other end, and an upwardly extending shear resisting portion 40 formed in the plate intermediate the ends. An inclined lip 42 is formed in the base at the outer edge of the slot 36 and said lip is shaped and arranged to approximately correspond to the shape of the inclined tongue 20 to receive the tongue thereunder when the plates are: assembled. The shear resisting portion 40 is conveniently formed by embossing the base upwardly, and'to provide high strength the embossment is preferably cylindrical, however any desired shape may be used, provided the shape of the opening 24 and the raised lip 26 of the plate l2 are of a suitable shape to receive the embossment when the plates are assembled. A pair of strap receiving slots 44 and 46 are provided in the ends of the plate 14 to allow the end of the strap 18 to be threaded therethrough across the back of the plate, to provide a load supporting portion 48 extending from the end of the plate having the tongue receiving slot 36, and a buckle disengaging portion 50 extending from the opposite end of the plate. The strap 18 may also be attached to the plate I 4 by rivets 52. 1

Referring now to Fig. 5, the buckle plates are illustrated in a position which occurs during both assembly and disassembly. plates, the tongue 20 of plate I 2 is inserted into the slot 36 of plate l4 so that the tongue passes under the inclined lip 42. The opposite ends of the plates are then forced together so that the.

plate to another by the engagement of theraised.

lip with the shear resisting portion, and the To assemble the.

disengaging portion 50 of the strap l8 which un' snaps the snap fastener halves; and separates the ends of the plates opposite the hook as illustrated in Fig. 5, and allows the shear resistingportion to become disengaged from the raised lip 26. Since the plates, when disengaged under load, tend to move in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, the inclination of the tongue. 20 allows the tongue to pass freely out f the slot 36 without binding or jamming.

Referring now to Fig. 6, there is illustrated a method of using the buckle of the invention where it is desired to support a load by means of a loop in a strap. In this modification, the strap I6, instead of being folded back on itself, extends from the tongue end of the. plate l2 and joins the load supporting portion 48 of the strap [8 to form a continuous load supporting loop 54. When the buckle is .used in this manner, the method of engagement and disengagement is similar to that hereinbefore described.

Although the illustrated embodiment of the buckle is provided with a pair of snap fasteners to retain the plates'together, it will be understood that any number may be used that may: be required for the particular application. The buckle plates are easily formed from sheet metal by blanking and drawing operations, :and hence may be produced economically on automatic machines. The use of the device is not limited to straps, but with minor modifications, may be adapted for use with ropes, cables, or chains.

Since certain other obvious modifications may be made in the device without departing from the scope of the invention, it is: intended that all matter contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim 1. A buckle assembly; comprising a pair-:of buckle plates adapted to be fastened: together in superimposed relation, said plates having cooperating hook meansnear one end, said hook means being releasable by separating the plates at the other end, and. means near said other end to enable the plates to besnapped together, one of said plates having a shear resistingportion extending'upwardly therefrom toward the other plate, said other plate having a portiondisposed opposite said shear resisting portion pro;- viding surfaces surrounding said shear resisting portion for engaging said shear resisting portion, when the plates are assembled and shear forces are applied to the buckle assembly.

2'. A buckle assembly comprising a pair of buckle plates adapted to be fastened together in superimposed relation, said plates having .cooperating hook means near one end, said hook means being releasable by separating the plates at the other end, and cooperating snapzfastener halves disposed on the plates near said other end to allow the plates to be snapped together, one of said plates having an upwardly extending shearresisting member disposed: thereon intermediate the ends, the other of said; plates, having an opening therein to receive: said shear resisting member when the plates aregassembled and having a portion surrounding said opening to engage said shear resisting member when shear forcesare applied to-the bucklev assembly.

3. A buckle assembly, comprising a pair of buckle plates adapted to be assembled in superimposed relation, said plates having cooperating hook means near one end, said hook means being releasable by separating the plates at the other end, and snap fastener halves disposed on said plates near the other end to allow the plates to be snapped together to retain the hook means in engagement, one of said plates having an upwardly embossed shear resisting portion disposed thereon intermediate the ends, the other of said plates having an opening therein to receive the shear resisting portion when the plates are assembled, and a raised rim disposed about the opening to engage the sheer resisting portion when shear forces are applied to the buckle assembly.

4. A buckle assembly comprising a pair ofbuckle plates adapted to be fastened together in superimposed relation, said plates having strap. receiving means at opposite ends thereof, the first of said plates having a hook means. near one end thereof, said hook means extending downwardly and outwardly toward said one end, the second of said plates having an openin therein to receive the hook means at the corresponding end, said hook means being releas.-- able from the opening by separating the plates at the ends opposite the hook means, saidplates having snap fastener halves assembled. thereon to allow said ends opposite the hook means to. be snapped into and out of engagement, one of said plates having an embossed shear. resisting member disposed-thereon intermediate .the ends and extending toward theother plate, said other plate having an opening therein to receive the embossed shear resisting portion and a raised rim disposed about the opening .to engage the shear resisting portion when a. shear-- ing force is applied to the assembled plates,

5. In a buckle assembly comprising a pair of buckle plates adapted to. be superimposed and fastened. together to resist. shear forces, .a. first buckle plate having an inclined tongue disposed thereon near one end, said tongue extending, downwardly from the plate and longitudinally toward said end,and a second buckle plate having an opening near one end toreceive the tongue, said second plate having an upwardly .inclined lip on the edge of the openingv near the end-t0 approximately correspond to the shape .of the tongue, said tongue being releasable from the opening by separating the. plates. at. the. ends opposite the tongue, said plates having snap fastener halves disposed thereon near said ends opposite the tongue to permit the plates to. be snapped into and out of engagement, onev of said plates having an upwardly embossed shear resisting portion disposed. thereon, the other plate having an opening therein to receive the shear resisting portion and. a raised rim disposed about the opening to engage the shear resisting portion when a shearing force is applied to the assembled plates.

' PHILIP D.. BECKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

